Tag: Lorenz Larkin

Bellator 237: Fedor vs. Rampage Live Coverage

Finishing off their 2019 schedule, Bellator heads to Japan on Saturday for the first time in the promotion’s history. Headlining the show was Fedor Emelianenko and Rampage Jackson, who have deep ties fighting in Japan. Also fighting on their six-fight main card was many big names in Bellator and RIZIN.

The eight postlim bouts on the card will not be broadcasted to the international audience “due to existing contractual obligations.” Coverage of those fights on this site are TBA.

A full preview of the night’s action can be read here.

Follow along throughout the evening for the results at Bellator 237.

Quick Results:

Bout 1: Goiti Yamauchi def. Daron Cruickshank via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 3:11)
Bout 2: Kana Watanabe def. Ilara Joanne via TKO, Punches (RD 3, 4:39)

Bout 3: Lorenz Larkin def. K-Taro Nakamura via Unanimous Decision

Bout 4: Michael Page def. Shinsho Anzai via KO, Right Hook (RD 2, 0:23)

Bout 5: Michael Chandler def. Sidney Outlaw via KO, Right Straight (RD 1, 2:59)

Bout 6: Fedor Emelianenko def. Quinton Jackson via KO, Right Hook (RD 1: 2:44)

Bout 1: Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs. Daron Cruickshank (22-12) (Lightweight)

The first fight of the evening was between Daron Cruickshank and Goiti Yamauchi. There was uneventful stand-up in the first minute of the fight. Crucikshank tried for a spinning backfist, but Yamauchi caught it and got into a body lock. Yamauchi hopped on Cruickshank’s back, taking him to the ground eventually. He put in a rear naked choke, which eventually took Cruickshank out cold. Goiti Yamauchi added to his now long list of submission victories, putting Bellator up by one against RIZIN to kick off the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Yamauchi
Cruickshank

Bout 2: Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1) (Flyweight)

In the next fight, RIZIN’s undefeated fighter Kana Watanabe fought Bellator’s Ilara Joanne. The most notable win from Joanne is her most recent one, stopping Bec Rawlings with an armbar. Joanne had strong striking early on in the fight. While Watanabe reached for a single leg, she was hit with a two-punch combo from Joanne. Watanabe got a takedown in the second minute of the fight. From the bottom position, Joanne tried for a triangle choke. While Watanabe was in the position, Joanne threw a couple of elbows. Watanabe eventually escaped the choke. In side control, Watanabe started with short punches to the head. Going into half guard, Watanabe landed a few more shots before the round ended.

Watanabe tried for a takedown in a clinch early in the second round, although Joanne avoided it, putting her against the cage. She eventually got a takedown, but Joanne used momentum to end up in top position. Watanabe landed hammerfist punches while Joanne kept a body lock on the ground. Watanabe took top position in the final minute, pouring on tons of ground and pound strikes. Joanne endured the strikes until the round ended.

Watanabe got another takedown at the start of the final round. Joanne threw some strikes from the bottom and also tried for an armbar. She did not secure the armbar. Watanabe picked up the striking again from top position. In the final minute, Watanabe got on Joanne’s back, continuing with the strikes. Watanabe continued until the referee finally stepped in. Staying undefeated, Kana Watanabe got a third round stoppage victory in her Bellator debut.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Joanne 10 9
Watanabe 9 10

Bout 3: Lorenz Larkin (21-7) vs. K-Taro Nakamura (35-10-2) (Welterweight)

In the final Bellator versus RIZIN bout of the main card, veterans Lorenz Larkin and K-Taro Nakamura battled. Larkin missed weight for this fight by a few pounds. Larkin was clearly the better striker early. He landed a good uppercut in the clinch. It was seemingly all Larkin the whole round, with Nakamura eating many solid punches. 

Nakamura had his best moment in the second round, coming forward with good punches that had Larkin back up against the cage. Nakamura caught a body kick, but couldn’t get a takedown from it. Apart from a few moments, Larkin kept a good pace of strikes through two rounds, keeping the pressure on Nakamura.

Nakamura went into a clinch after catching a kick, but was hit with a knee to the body from the situation. Larkin continued coming forward with hard strikes. Nakamura got cut beside his left eye. Nakamura shot for a single leg takedown. Larkin landed elbows and punches to Nakamura, who was still holding onto his leg. They got back up, with the damage on Nakamura’s face being worse. The fight went the distance, with Lorenz Larkin winning on all three scorecards (30-27, 30-26 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Larkin 10 10 10 30
Nakamura 9 9 8 26

Bout 4: Michael Page (16-1) vs. Shinsho Anzai (11-3) (Welterweight)

In the next match, Bellator’s highlight creator Michael “Venom” Page fought Shinsho Anzai. Page had quite the dramatic walkout, wearing a Naruto outfit and running down the ramp. MVP landed a knee early on as Anzai was shooting for a takedown which he did not get. Page was heating up as the round progressed. He telegraphed a good flying knee as Anzai rushed in and put Page against the cage. Page landed a two-punch combination that dropped Anzai. He let Anzai get up, getting even more cocky with his fighting style. He started going for the more flashy moves. The crowd was a fan of his showboating. It looked like MVP landed a good knee that might have dropped Anzai in the final minute. Anzai held onto an arm as MVP came in for strikes as the round ended.

Page tried for more flying knees as the second round opened. MVP scored a right hook which dropped Anzai and ended the fight. Adding another win to his record, Michael “Venom” Page proved dominant over Shinsho Anzai.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Page 10
Anzai 8

Bout 5: Michael Chandler (19-5) vs. Sidney Outlaw (14-3) (Catchweight 160 lbs)

The co-main event of the evening saw Sidney Outlaw take a short notice fight against Michael Chandler. Chandler was applying the pressure early on, coming forward with punches. Outlaw caught a leg in the second minute, but couldn’t score a takedown from it. Outlaw was landing leg kicks which were starting to show on Chandler. Chandler landed a right straight which knocked out Outlaw, ending the fight. To celebrate, Chandler landed two backflips. Bouncing back from his May loss to Patricio Pitbull, Michael Chandler stopped Sidney Outlaw in short time.\

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Chandler
Outlaw

Bout 6: Fedor Emelianenko (38-6) vs. Quinton Jackson (38-13) (Heavyweight)

 

The main event of the card was Fedor Emelianenko and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson competing in a heavyweight bout. The entrances were nostalgic, with the current RIZIN and former PRIDE Lenne Hardt calling out the names of the fighters. Jackson walked out to the old PRIDE theme. Emelianenko was landing the better shots early on. No combinations, just sole shots. In the second minute, Emelianenko threw Jackson, then threw a combination of strikes ending with a kick. In the third minute, Emelianenko landed a right hook which dropped Jackson and ended the fight. Jackson protested the stoppage afterwards. Jackson got a cut beside his left eye from the shot. Earning his 39th win as a pro and yet another one at the historic Saitama Super Arena, Fedor Emelianenko stopped Rampage Jackson after a few one-sided minutes. After the fight Emelianenko says that this fight will be the last of his career.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Emelianenko
Jackson

Bellator 237: Fedor vs. Rampage Preview

Concluding their 2019 season, Bellator heads to Japan for the first time on Saturday. The card is a co-promoted event with Japanese MMA organization RIZIN Fighting Federation. Many of the fights on the card see representatives from both promotions face off. The two promotions have collaborated in the past, most notably with Kyoji Horiguchi facing former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Darrion Caldwell twice.

Headlining this card is two well-known heavyweights in Fedor Emelianenko and Rampage Jackson. Deep into his career, Emelianenko is recognized as one of the most accomplished mixed-martial artists to never compete in the UFC. A good part of his career took place in Japan, as he competed in now-defunct promotion Pride FC many times. Prior to his UFC and Bellator run, Jackson also had a stint in Pride. While both fighting under the same banner, the two heavyweights never clashed before. Along with the main event is a quite stacked Bellator card, with many fights on it.

Main Card

Bout 1: Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs. Daron Cruickshank (22-12) (Lightweight)

In one of the truest Bellator versus RIZIN matches, Goiti Yamauchi faces Daron Cruickshank. What makes it a true promotional clash is the amount of experience each fighter has in their territory. Yamauchi is now 10-3 in Bellator, with Cruickshank being 5-4 in RIZIN. Cruickshank will try to break a two-fight losing streak, as he recently lost to Damien Brown and Tofiq Musaev. Yamauchi fought in October, defeating Saad Awad with a first-round armbar. Yamauchi came in at 157.8 lbs, missing the lightweight limit.

Bout 2: Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1) (Flyweight)

The second women’s bout of the evening will see undefeated Kana Watanabe battle Bellator’s Ilara Joanne. Watanabe has fought primarily in RIZIN and DEEP JEWELS. In RIZIN, she defeated Shizuka Sugiyama twice, once in very brief fashion. She has won three times in 2019, most recently beating Hee Eun Kang on a DEEP JEWELS card. Joanne debuted in Bellator back in October, prevailing over Bec Rawlings with a second-round kneebar. While that was her only win in Bellator, it was over a notable name.

Bout 3: Lorenz Larkin (21-7) vs. K-Taro Nakamura (35-10-2) (Welterweight)

In the next bout of the evening, two former-UFC fighters who now represent different promotions will collide. Lorenz Larkin, who is on a three-fight winning streak in Bellator, will face K-Taro Nakamura, who just won his RIZIN debut back in October. Larkin is coming off of a split decision over Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 229. Nakamura’s win was a brief and dominant one over Marcos Yoshiop de Souza at RIZIN 19. This marked the end of his UFC run, going 4-4 while with the promotion. Larkin missed weight by two-and-a-half pounds, although his fight will go on. It was reported by MMAJunkie that the comission will force Larkin to fight at middleweight in his next bout “unless doctor provides not that drop to 170 is safe.” 

Bout 4: Michael Page (16-1) vs. Shinsho Anzai (11-3) (Welterweight)

Bellator’s walking highlight reel Michael “Venom” Page will return on this card, facing former UFC fighter Shinsho Anzai. Page has gotten two dominant wins on recent Bellator shows, making a turnaround from his first pro loss, a brutal knockout at the hands of Douglas Lima. This fight is a quick turnaround for Page, who’s last fight was under a month ago. Anzai finished his UFC career with a 2-2 record, returning to DEEP Impact in September with a win against Yoichiro Sato.

Bout 5: Michael Chandler (19-5) vs. Sidney Outlaw (14-3) (Lightweight)

The co-main event of the evening is a strictly Bellator collision, as Michael Chandler will face Sidney Outlaw. Originally, Chandler was meant to fight Benson Henderson in what would be a rematch from 2016. Henderson was pulled from the fight due to injury, with Outlaw being named the new opponent. The fight is Chandler’s return after losing his Bellator Lightweight Championship to Patricio Pitbull. Outlaw made his Bellator debut just last month, defeating Roger Huerta at Bellator 234.

Bout 6: Fedor Emelianenko (38-6) vs. Quinton Jackson (38-13) (Heavyweight) 44

In the main event, two MMA legends will collide. Fedor Emelianenko and Rampage Jackson will add another fight to their extensive MMA records on Saturday, which currently sits at 95 fights combined. Both fighters have deep ties in Japan. Some of Emelianenko’s best known work comes from his days in Pride FC, being undefeated during his run. Jackson also fought in Pride, although his record was not flawless. Despite both fighting in Pride, they never faced each other. Jackson’s last win was over fellow JMMA superstar Wanderlei Silva, stopping him in the second round at Bellator 206. That was just over a year ago. Since then, Emelianenko has fought twice. He stopped Chael Sonnen in one round at Bellator 208, and recently saw an abrupt loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 214. While in the main event slot, the fight is only set for three rounds. 

Postlims

Bout 7: Sergey Shemetov (9-6) vs. Shoma Shibisai (5-2) (Heavyweight)

After the main event, Saitama Super Arena will see post-lims which feature a mixture of RIZIN and Bellator fighters. It is still up in the air whether the international broadcast will be able to see these fights. One of the first preliminary bouts of the evening is Sergey Shemetov facing Shoma Shibisai. Shemetov is a relative to viral king Vitaly Shemetov, who made his RIZIN debut back at RIZIN 17. Shibisai has competed in Ganryujima pit fighting in the past, winning many times in that promotion. His last RIZIN fight was an openweight victory over Chang Hee Kim, landing in armbar to win in just over a minute.

Bout 8: Ryuichiro Sumimura (14-7) vs. Jon Tuck (10-5) (Lightweight)

Former UFC fighter Jon Tuck was meant to make his Bellator debut in September against Brandon Girtz. Unfortunately, that plan fell through for him. Instead, his debut will come against Ryuichiro Sumimura on this card. Tuck finished his UFC run with a 4-5 record, most recently losing to Drew Dober in 2018. Sumimura has fought mostly in regional promotion DEEP Impact, although has appeared once in RIZIN. In that fight, Sumimura tapped out to now-Bellator fighter Kiichi Kunimoto.

Bout 9: Andy Nguyen (6-8) vs. AI (5-1) (Strawweight)

2019 has been a breakout year for Krazy Bee’s AI. She got noticed by most eyes when she beat underground J-pop idol Nanaka Kawamura on New Year’s Eve with a dominant performance. She then went on to win twice more in promotion DEEP Jewels, then returned at RIZIN 18 to have a very close fight with Tabatha Watkins. Now being dubbed the “Princess Bee,” which follows the lineage of Miyuu Yamamoto being the “Queen Bee,” AI is seen as one of the prospects in JMMA. AI doesn’t have a blood-relation to the Yamamoto family, but like Yusuke Yachi is very representative of the Krazy Bee brand. She will face Andy Nguyen on this Bellator card. Nguyen has a 1-2 record in RIZIN, fighting twice against the previously mentioned Yamamoto.

Bout 10: Yusaku Nakamura (16-6-1) vs. Makoto Shinryu (9-1-1) (Flyweight)

Two experienced JMMA fighters in Yusaku Nakamura and Makoto Shinryu will fight in the next bout. Nakamura’s last fight was a decision win over Topnoi Tiger Muay Thai at RIZIN 16. Before then, he was winless in Bellator, losing to Manel Kape and Tenshin Nasukawa. Shinryu has never fought in RIZIN or Bellator, but has attained an impressive record in DEEP Impact.

Bout 11: Ren Hiramoto vs. Takahiro Ashida (Catchweight 150 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

The next fight on the post-lims is the card’s sole kickboxing bout. After being vacant from the kickboxing scene for nearly two years, Ren Hiramoto returns to face MMA fighter Takahiro Ashida. Hiramoto fought in Japanese kickboxing promotion K-1 World, getting 10 wins in his time there. Ashida has been an MMA fighter for his career, fighting all around Japan’s regional scene. He has two wins in 2019, prevailing over Isao Sakiyama and Tatsunao Nagakura.

Bout 12: Jarred Brooks (15-2) vs. Haruo Ochi (19-7-2) (Flyweight)

Back at RIZIN 18, Jarred Brooks and Haruo Ochi were set to face off in a strawweight matchup. The competition ended abruptly however, as a head collision early cut Ochi on the head, making the fight a no contest. They’ll run it back on this Bellator card, this time under the flyweight class. Brooks got a regional American win before this event, defeating Victor Altamirano at WXC 83. Ochi is currently on an impressive seven-fight win streak. Most wins came from the promotion DEEP Impact, with one win being against former-Pancrase Champion Mistuhisa Sunabe at RIZIN 13.

Bout 13: Kanna Asakura (15-4) vs. Jayme Hinshaw (4-3) (Atomweight)

A year ago, Kanna Asakura found herself high on the card of RIZIN 14, attempting to beat Ayaka Hamasaki with the RIZIN Super Atomweight belt on the line. That didn’t go her way, as she lost with a second round armbar ending Hamasaki’s dominant performance. She has went 2-1 in 2019 so far, recently winning over Alesha Zappitella at RIZIN 18. She now faces Jayme Hinshaw, who will be making her debut in Bellator. She had previously fought in King of the Cage for all of her pro-career. While having just slightly more wins than losses, Hinshaw is currently riding a three-fight winning streak.

Bout 14: Hiroto Uesako (16-8) vs. Yusuke Yachi (20-9) (Lightweight)

In an all-RIZIN affair, Hiroto Uesako and Yusuke Yachi face-off in the next preliminary bout. Uesako and Yachi are one of the more well-known lightweights in the promotion. While Yachi has name recognition, he is currently on a three-fight losing streak that dates back to RIZIN 12. Uesako debuted in RIZIN earlier this year, defeating Yves Landu to secure his spot in the Lightweight Grand Prix. He lost in the first round of that tournament to Luiz Gustavo in October.

After this event, Bellator will return in late January with Bellator 238. Headlining the card will be Cris Cyborg, making her Bellator debut against Featherweight Champion Julia Budd. However, before the year concludes, some Bellator talent will be seen on RIZIN’s New Year’s Eve card at Saitama Super Arena.

Bellator Versus RIZIN Bouts Added To Bellator Japan

Bellator Japan saw many new fights added to it’s card after a press conference in Japan on Thursday. The matchups include many Bellator versus RIZIN bouts.

The biggest RIZIN versus Bellator fight announced was Lorenz Larkin facing Keita Nakamura. “K-Taro” made his RIZIN debut last month, making quick work of Marcos Yoshio de Souza. Larkin recently went three rounds with Andrey Koreshkov, winning on the scorecards. He is on a three-fight winning streak.

Returning to a RIZIN promoted event, Daron Cruickshank will face Bellator’s Goiti Yamauchi. Cruickshank will attempt to snap a two-fight losing streak, dropping to Damien Brown and Tofiq Musaev in previous RIZIN events. Yamauchi is on a two-fight winning streak, recently defeating Saad Awad at Bellator 229.

The final Bellator versus RIZIN matchup announced was undefeated flyweight Kana Watanabe versus Ilara Joanne. Joanne made her Bellator debut last month, defeating Bec Rawlings via kneebar. Watanabe has a 8-0-1 record, with many fights in RIZIN and DEEP JEWELS.

 

Bellator 229: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Live Coverage

Bellator returned to the Pechanga Resort and Casino for Bellator 229. Headlining the card was Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin in a three round fight. Stay tuned to JackWannan.com throughout the night for live coverage.

Bout 1: Adel Altamimi (8-5) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (6-3) (Featherweight)

The first preliminary fight was Adel Altamimi versus Salim Mukhidinov in a featherweight bout. The entrances for both fighters aired, something which is rare for the Bellator prelims. Altamimi got a takedown, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Altamimi got another takedown as the round ended.

A pause came early in the second round as Altamimi was kicked in the groin. Altamimi took his time to recover, but eventually did get up and continue. Mukhidinov had strong striking in the second round, making sure the fight stayed in stand-up where he excelled. Mukhidinov reversed a takedown, taking top position halfway through the round. The second round ended on the ground.

Altamimi tried to take the fight to the ground again in the final round, but just like before failed to do so. Mukhidinov got top position after a sprawl. Mukhidinov stayed in top position, throwing strikes from above until the final seconds of the round.

Heading to the scorecards, it was Salim Mukhidinov who got the victory via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Altamimi 9 9 9 27
Mukhidinov 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Anatoly Tokov (28-2) vs. Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) (Middleweight)

The second preliminary fight was between two experienced fighters in Anatoly Tokov and Hracho Darpinyan. Tokov took Darpinyan down with strikes early, although they got back up. Tokov kept applying the pressure and threw more strikes. Darpinyan was swinging wildy, though he did connect with a good hook. In the third minute of the fight, Tokov dropped Darpinyan again with a punch. Tokov continued ground and pound on the ground until the round ended.

Tokov got another takedown a minute and a half through the second round. Just like last time, Tokov went back to work with ground and pound. Once Tokov started to let elbows go on the ground, the referee stepped in and called a stop to the bout.

Anatoly Tokov picked up his fifth straight Bellator win, and the second in a row via stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10
Darpinyan 9

Bout 3: Joe Schilling (4-5) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) (Middleweight)

The first main card fight was Joe Schilling fighting to escape a negative pro MMA record against Tony Johnson. Early in the first round, Schilling tripped Johnson with a leg kick. Schilling was clearly the better striker, although Johnson clearly had a good chin. Johnson surprisingly dropped Schilling in the final minute of the first round. In a matter of seconds, the round went in favour of Johnson. The fight didn’t end, but it came real close to ending in favour of Johnson.

In the second minute of the second round, Schilling showed that he is still in the fight by landing a strong left straight. Johnson scored a takedown halfway through the round, although they got up moments later. Other than that, it was a round well dominated by Schilling.

The third round saw a pause due to Johnson getting poked in the eye. Schilling threw a spinning backfist in the final round. In the third minute of the round, Johnson landed left hook counter-punch which took Schilling out cold. In his return fight in Bellator, Tony Johnson got a victory through a vicious knockout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Schilling 9 10
Johnson 10 9

Bout 4: Keri Taylor Melendez (3-0) vs. Mandy Polk (6-4) (Catchweight 118 lbs)

The fourth fight was the first women’s MMA bout of the evening. Undefeated fighter Keri Taylor Melendez fought Mandy Polk. In the opening seconds, Polk came running at Melendez and ate a punch. Melendez went to the ground in attempt to finish the fight but found herself in the bottom position instead. Melendez tried for a triangle choke and threw elbows while Polk’s head was trapped.

The second round showcase more of Melendez’s stand-up, as the fight stayed there for most of the time.

Polk got a takedown in the first minute of the final round. Melendez tried for the triangle choke again but let it go eventually. Polk took the back of Melendez and tried for a rear naked choke. They went back to stand-up where Melendez landed knees to the stomach. Remaining undefeated, Keri Taylor Melendez took a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27) After the fight she said Bellator should start a 115 pound division.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Melendez 10 10 10 30
Polk 9 9 9 27

Bout 5: Saad Awad (23-11) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) (Lightweight)

Before the next fight, we saw an interview with Ilima-Lei MacFarlane who will fight on December 21st against Kate Jackson. The co-main event of that show will be a Featherweight Grand Prix fight between A.J. McKee Jr. and Derek Campos. The co-main event of the evening was Bellator veterans Saad Awad and Goiti Yamauchi facing off. Yamauchi got shook by a right hook then was taken down shortly after. Yamauchi tried for an armbar on the ground which made Awad tap out. Moments after being shaken on the ground, Goiti Yamauchi earned a victory, being the first fighter to submit Saad Awad in years.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Awad
Yamauchi

Bout 6: Andrey Koreshkov (22-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7) (Welterweight)

The main event of the show was welterweights Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin battling. Larkin tried for a takedown early on with a body lock. Koreshkov kept Larkin against the cage for a minute before they returned to stand-up. Koreshkov landed a spinning back kick which dropped Larkin. A few more punches landed, but Larkin recovered and stayed in the fight.

Larking caught Koreshkov during a spinning back kick attempt, putting him against the cage in a clinch. When they went back to stand-up, Koreshkov landed a good overhand right. He also later landed a spinning back elbow. In clinch, Larkin landed a knee which dropped Koreshkov. Larkin landed more elbows from top position. Koreshkov got up but was dropped with another knee to the head. Koreshkov was hit with more elbows in the final seconds of the round but was able to survive.

Koreshkov got a takedown in the final round, although from bottom position Larkin tried for a guillotine. Koreshkov eventually slipped out. They stood up in a clinch with two minutes left. Koreshkov got another takedown with a minute remaining.

The fight went all scheduled fifteen minutes. With a split decision, Lorenz Larkin pulled off the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Koreshkov 10 8 10 28
Larkin 9 10 9 28

Bout 7: Derek Anderson (15-3) vs. Guilherme Bomba (10-5) (Welterweight)

After the main card, the postlims started with Derek Anderson and Guilherme Bomba. The first round was a striking focused one, with Anderson landing the good combinations. A pause came when Anderson was accidentally poked in the eye. The resumed shortly after, with Anderson seemingly not missing a beat. Anderson’s striking was ended by Bomba landing a takedown. Anderson got a takedown for a few seconds as the first round came to a close.

Both fighters were trading hard, audible punches early in the second round. Bomba got a single leg takedown and took the back of Anderson. Anderson flipped himself over and took top position.

The third round was another dominant one for Anderson. The fight went to the ground with two minutes left in the final round, with Anderson in the dominant position. Both fighters lasted all three rounds, with Derek Anderson prevailing via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Anderson 10 10
Bomba 9 9

Bout 8: Joey Davis (5-0) vs. Jeff Peterson (10-6) (Welterweight)

Staying in the welterweight division, the next fight was undefeated Joey Davis and Jeff Peterson. Early in the fight, Peterson tripped after getting hit by a leg kick. A minute into the fight, Davis scored a flying knee to drop Peterson and win the fight. Joey Davis extended his undefeated record with a chilling KO.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Davis
Peterson

Bout 9: Johnny Eblen (5-0) vs. Mauricio Alonso (13-7) (Middleweight)

Moving on, the next postlim fight was middleweights Johnny Eblen and Mauricio Alonso. Eblen got a takedown early on. Eblen stayed in top position, sometimes standing up, but throwing punches throughout.

Eblen got a second takedown a minute into the second round and did more ground and pound. The third round was the same story yet again, with Eblen getting a takedown and landing strikes. For a moment it looked like he could close out the fight, but it never happened. They stood up in the final minute of the fight and Alonso actually landed a few good strikes. Eblen got another takedown but was being hit from Alonso, who was on the bottom position.

The fight went all three rounds. Winning quite decisively, Johnny Eblen got his sixth win as a professional (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Eblen 10 10 10 30
Alonso 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: Vladimir Tokov (6-0) vs. Brandon Hastings (6-3) (Lightweight)

After his big brother picked up a win on the preliminary card, Vladimir Tokov aimed to do the same against Brandon Hastings. Tokov chased a takedown early but was stopped. The referee stepped in during a grappling exchange since Hastings was holding the fence to resist takedown. They resumed in stand-up, which is odd since that seemingly favours Hastings. Tokov got a takedown and stayed in top position for the rest of the first round.

Tokov had a dominant second round, landing numerous takedowns and staying in control throughout. The third round was much of the same, including many slams by Tokov. Vladmir Tokov prevailed on the scorecards (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10 10 10 30
Hastings 9 9 9 27

Bout 11: Jordan Newman (1-0) vs. Riley Miller (0-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw undefeated Jordan Newman face the debuting Riley Miller. Newman brought the fight to the ground and took top position early on. Newman stayed on top of Miller, continuing ground and pound until the final seconds of the round when the referee stepped in to conclude the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Newman
Miller

Bout 12: Sunni Imhotep (2-0) vs. Kelvin Gentapanan (0-0) (Lightweight)

The next matchup was a lightweight battle between 2-0 Sunni Imhotep and debuting Kelvin Gentapanan. In the first minute of the fight, Gentapanan got a takedown. Gentapanan stayed the dominant fighter on the ground until the round ended. Imhotep had a better second round, landing tons of strikes on the ground. The final round saw Gentapanan in control most of the time on the ground. Going to the scorecard, Kelvin Gentapanan won via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Imhotep 9 10 9 28
Gentapanan 10 9 10 29

Bout 13: Jay-Jay Wilson (3-0) vs. Jorge Juarez (4-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the card was Jay-Jay Wilson facing Jorge Juarez. Early on, Wilson put Juarez up against the cage, landing a takedown shortly after. He took the back of Juarez and put in a rear naked choke, getting a quick victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Wilson
Juarez

 

Bellator 207 Full Report: Ryan Bader Moves On To Heavyweight GP Finals

Preview

Bellator began their first event of their two this weekend with Bellator 207. Like 208, which takes place tomorrow, 207 is headlined by a semi-final match in Bellator’s Heavyweight GP. The Friday card had Matt Mitrione fighting Ryan Bader. The Saturday night card is scheduled to have Fedor Emelianenko versus Chael Sonnen. The final four in the tournament are definitely all fan favorites. Below the main event, there are four other main card bouts. In the co-main event spot is what should be only another explosive Heavyweight clash besides the main event. Roy Nelson fights Sergei Kharitonov. Nelson was booked for the main event of Bellator 200 against Mirko Cro Cop. Due to an injury from Cro Cop before the fight, sadly this bout did not happen. Kharitonov returns to Bellator after fighting for M-1 and Russian Cagefighting Championship for a year.

Also on the main card is Kevin Ferguson Jr. versus Corey Browning. Both fighters are still somewhat new to MMA, with Ferguson Jr. holding a 3-1 record with all fights being under Bellator. Browning is making his Bellator debut, coming into the promotion with a 3-2 record. Below them is two veterans in Lorenz Larkin (19-7) versus Ion Pascu (18-8) in a Lightweight fight. That fight is the alternate fight for the Welterweight GP. Starting off the main card was Carrington Banks (7-1) and Mandel Nallo (6-0) fighting to protect their very clean win/loss records so far.

Rundown Of The Card

  1. Carrington Banks and Mandel Nallo fought with Bellator having no hesitation on starting the main card. After a minute in the first round of uneventful stand-up, Nallo showed great takedown defense. Banks tried for a takedown, with his second attempt being reversed into a takedown from Nallo. Nallo seemed near to putting in a chokehold but eventually stopped trying for it. With under two minutes left in the first Banks landed his first takedown, but took many elbow strikes to the head while on top. These two both battled on the ground as the first round ended. In the first minute of the second round Nallo landed a perfectly timed right knee to the head to absolutely put Banks to sleep. When the camera was in his face after the fight, all he had to say to the camera was “come to Tri Star” (the MMA gym that he trains at).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Banks 9
Nallo 10
  1. The next fight on the card was Corey Browning versus Kevin Ferguson Jr. A.K.A Baby Slice. When Browning did his walkout, the commentators talked about how Browning felt stress going into this fight. While Baby Slice had dominance for the most of round one, the final minute went in favour of Browning. Browning tried for a crucifix, then landed a handful of elbows until the round ended. The two fighters traded at the start of the second round, with Browning dropping Baby Slice after being hit by a combo. Browning looked like he was in trouble early in the second round, but somehow stood up seconds later. Browning was landing strikes from above onto Baby Slice until the ref stopped the fight. This was quite the turnaround as only moments before Baby Slice was inching close to a submission win. Browning got his hand raised without Baby Slice present. It was reported by Mike Bohn that he was stretchered out of the venue.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Browning 9
Baby Slice 10
  1. Lorenz Larkin and Ion Pascu fought each other in the Welterweight GP alternate bout. Most of the first round was stand up with Pascu trying to a takedown in the final minute of the round. In the second round Larkin showed dominance with his striking. With two minutes left in the final round Pascu landed a clean single leg takedown. While Pascu had good ground game for the remaining time, it wasn’t enough to win him the round on my scorecard. The judges gave Larkin the fight Unanimously (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Larkin 10 10 10 30
Pascu 9 9 9 27
  1. In the co-main event was Roy Nelson versus Sergei Kharitonov. In the first round Nelson went for a takedown but was stopped. Kharitonov landed an illegal knee to the top of Nelson. The fight was resumed, but a point was taken away from Kharitonov. Nelson started to take hard shots as the round was coming to a close. With under 10 seconds left, Kharitonov finished the fight with standing strikes and (legal) knees with Roy against the cage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Nelson
Kharitonov

5. Before the main event they played a pretty good promo video for this fight. Matt Mitrione fought Ryan Bader to see who moves onto the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix. In the promo it was mentioned by Mitrione how he’s not a good wrestler, but “every round starts standing”. Well, Bader landed a takedown only seconds into the first round. Bader started to land shots from above with two minutes to go. He continued like this until the end of the round. At the start out round two Mitrione came out swinging, until he got caught with another takedown. Bader was all over him once again on the ground. He nearly got a submission finish halfway through but did not get it. In the final round Bader landed another takedown only maybe 4 seconds in. The official scorecards had it in favour of Bader of course Unanimously (30-25, 30-24 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Mitrione 8 8 8 24
Bader 10 10 10 30

Looking Ahead

Now that Bellator 207 is in the books, one half of the puzzle has been solved. Ryan Bader said in his post fight interview that he’d like to fight Fedor in the finals, but now it’s just up to Fedor to do the job. Tomorrow from New York, Chael Sonnen fights Fedor Emelianenko, with the winner challenging Bader in the finale of the Grand Prix. After these two events are done Bellator will be gone until mid-November.